Manufacture of gearing for window regulators



May 22, 1 928.

S. W. NICHOLSON MANUFACTURE OF GEARING FOR WINDOW REGULATORS 2sheets-sheet 1 Filed Oct. 23, 1925 aktozumab S. W. NICHOLSON MANUFACTUREOF GEARING FOR WINDOW REGULATORS Filed Oct. 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 61Roar-e1 0 creased.

Patented m 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

swarm w. NICHOLSON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DUBA COMPANY, O

TOLEDO, OHIO, A. CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE.

' macro or enamne roa 'wmnow nneunarons.

Application flied October 23,1925. Serial no. euro.

The invention relates to the manufacture of window regulators and hasfor one of its objects an improved method of manufacture whereby theefliciency and smoothness of operation of the window regulator are invrnother object is to manufacture the windo regulator at reduced cost. Afurther object is to mamifac'ture by an .improved method a gear memberwhich forms art of the actuating mechanism of the Winow regulator. Withthese as well as other objects in, view the invention resides in the 7novel features as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a blank from which agear member for a window re lator is formed;

igures 2 and 3, are respectively side and go edge elevations of a blankformed by the first step of my method;

Figures 4 and 5 are respectively side and edge elevations of a blankformed by the second step of my method;

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of Fi re 4;

Figures 8 and are respectively side and edge elevations of the completedblank;

Figures 10 and 11 are respectively side and edge elevations of a'gearisegment and lifter arm of a window regulator rigidly secured toeachother.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the complete window regulator;

Figure 13 is a side elevation showing the manner of rolling the blank;

Figure 14-is'a cross section on the line I l-+14 of Figure 13.

In one type of window regulator gearing is used in the actuatingmechanism to raise or lower a window from the handle of the windowregulator. As specifically shown in Figures 12 and 13 the window 1 which1s guided in a frame is adapted to be raised or lowered by means of thelifter arm 2 of the 7 window re lator, there being a suitable connectionetween the outer end of this lifter arm and the window. The inner end ofthis lifter arm is pivotally mounted at 3 upon the mounting plate 4. 5is a gear member which in the present instance is a gear segment rigidlysecured to the lifter arm and having its teeth concentric with the pivot3. 6 is a pinion meshing with the gear segment and adapted to be rotatedby means of the handle '1.

With my method of manufacturing the gear segment-I start with a sheetsteel blank 8 of substantially uniform thickness and having a Widthpreferably slightly greater than the diameter of the gear segment. Thisblank 8 is operated upon by a suitable punch which stamps out circularblanks such as illustrated by the blank 9 in Fi ures 2 and 3. This blankhas the perip eral roughed out oversized teeth 10, the axial opening 11,the symmetrically dis osed openings 12 and 13 and the symmetricallydisposed pairs of lateral projections 14 and 15. One of the openings 13is preferably provided with a radial extension 16 between and on theradius connecting the axis of the blank and the axis of the opening.

This blank with several others is then operated. upon by a suitabletooth-forming die .17 as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the blanks beingseparated and clamped between clamping members. This die ispositivelyrotated and generates teeth 18 of" maximum accuracy upon the blanks whenthese blanks are brought into engagement with the die. The blanks areaccurately located relative to each otherby means of pins which extendthrough the axial openings 11 and the openings 13 of the blanks, the pinextending through the openings having a longitudinal projection which isengageable in the extensidns 16. In thismanner the teeth of a number ofgear blanks can be generated at the same time by engagement with atOOtl'l-fOlll'llllQ die. -Thisdie While generating the teeth compels thematerial forming the teeth to fiow laterally in both directions andfurthermore makes the hearing surfaces of the teeth more dense and hardas well as burnishes the same. In

addition the die deflects the material at the bases of the interdentalspaces to form the lateral projections 19 and hardens the radial outersurfaces of these lateral projections. The gear blank after its teethhave been rolled is shown particularly in Figures 4,

5, 6 and 7 After the teeth of a circular gear blank have been generatedby rollingengagement with a tooth-forming die the circular blank issevered to reduce two like gear segments each segment aving the openings12 and 13, the lateral rojections 14 and .15 and a recess equal to halfthe axial opening 11, the severing forming the edges 21 and 22 extendinginwardly from opposite points of the pe- Iiphery parallel to thediametrical line extending through the centers of the lateralprojections 14 and 15 and equally on opposite sides of this line, theseedges tcrmmating at oints to be connected by the edges 23 .inc med at 45degrees and passing through the axis of the blank. The circular gearblank is preferably operated upon prior to or at the time of severin toflatten the teeth and projections at the bases of the interdental spaceslocated in line with the lateral projections 14 and 15 and adjacentthereto. The gear segment as thus far illustrated is shown particularlyin Figures 8 and 9.

After the gear segments have been formed each is rigidly secured to asheet metal lifter arm of the window regulator, this step beingpreferably performed by spot welding and with the lifter arm and gearsegment positively held in correct relative positions and the lifter armbearing against the projections 14 and 15 through which the spot weldingis preferably effected. The flattened tooth portion 20 of the gearsegment affords clearance for the lifter arm so that the latter may lieagainst the gear segment.

From the above description it will be readily seen that I have devised avery efficient manner of forming window regulators and also for formingunits which comprise a gear segment and lifter arm. With this method amaterial reduction in cost of manufacture is effected and at the sametime a product of higher quality is secured.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In the manufacture of gearing of window regulators, the method ofmaking a toothed member which comprises punching a sheet metal blank toform a blank having oversized teeth and rolling the oversized teeth tofinal form.

2. In the manufacture of gearing of window regulators, the method ofmaking a gear member which comprises punching out oversized teeth on acircular sheet metal blank, rolling the oversized teeth to final formand severing the circular blank with the rolled teeth to form aplurality of gear members. I

3. In the manufacture of caring of window regulators, the method ofmaking a gear segment which comprises punching a sheet metal blank ofsubstantially uniform thickness to form a circular blank havin oversizedteeth, rollin the oversized teet to final form and severing the circularblank with rolled teeth to form a plurality of like gear segments.

4. In the manufacture of a window regulator, the punching of a sheetmetal blank to form a circular blank havin peripheral oversized teeth,the rolling of tie oversized teeth to final form, the severing of thecircular blank with rolled teeth to form a pin rality of like gearsegments, and the securing of like lifter arms to the gear segments.

5. In the manufacture of a window regulator, the punching of a sheetmetal blank to form a circular blank having peripheral oversized teeth,the rolling of the oversized teeth to final'form, the severing of thecircular blank with rolled teeth to form a plurality of like gearsegments, the severing operation being such as to form straight spacededges extending inwardly from opposite points of the periphery and lyingparallel to each other and being connected at their inner ends by aninclined edge ortion passing throu h the axis of the blank.

6. In the manu acture of a window regulator, the punching of a sheetmetal blank to form a circular blank havin peripheral oversized teeth,the rolling of tie oversized teeth to final form, the severing of thecircular blank with rolled teeth to form a plurality of like gearsegments, the severing operation being such as to form straight spacededges extending inwardly from opposite points of the periphery and lyingparallel to each other and being connected at their inner ends by aninclined edge portion through the axis of the blank, the forming ofprojections upon each segment adjacent one of the straig t edges and thewelding of lifter arms to each gear member at the points where theprojections extend from the gear members.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

STANLEY W. NICHOLSON.

